The rise of Reddit

Despite the occasional misstep, Reddit is establishing itself as a key factor shaping news coverage of both social trends and breaking news. Still, the site has kept brands at arm's length, accepting some ads but denying many would-be advertisers access to its 400 million users. "We could turn on network advertising and make a ton of money right now. But we would be undermining this community and this amazing social platform we built up," general manager Erik Martin says.